How many mistakes have you made in the past week? Sometimes mistakes are just mistakes: forgetting to take your homework back to school, missing the bus, misreading directions to a friend’s house.

But then there are the things we do wrong on purpose—God calls those sin. When God questioned Adam and Eve about why they had disobeyed Him, they quickly tried to shift the blame elsewhere (GEN. 3:8-13). Aaron also took no responsibility when he helped the people build a golden calf to worship instead of God. (EX. 32:24).

Sometimes it seems easier to blame someone else rather than admitting when we’ve messed up. It’s also dangerous to try to brush aside our deliberate sin by calling it “just a mistake.”

But when we take responsibility—admit our wrongs and say sorry to God and anyone we’ve hurt—Jesus who “is faithful and just . . . will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 JOHN 1:9). Our God offers all His children forgiveness and a fresh start.

By: Cindy Hess Kasper

To Pray About . . .

Lord, I will come clean and admit that I have sinned against others and You. Please forgive me.